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Meat Processing Plants

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020

Wednesday, 3 June 2020

Questions (792)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

792. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which provisions are being made to ensure social distancing in meat processing plants nationwide; the extent to which the onslaught of Covid-19 is under control in processing plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9458/20]

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Written answers

A national Outbreak Control team has been established by the HSE to deal with all issues relating to Covid 19 in meat plants. My Department is represented on this committee and it is expected that recommendations, including any in relation to testing, will issue from this group in due course. Any clusters of cases in individual meat plants, in common with clusters in other workplaces, are dealt with by local HSE-led outbreak control teams. 

My Department staff and its contractors are following HSE Guidelines in relation to measures taken to maintain social distancing within the meat plant environment 

Food Business Operators have put in place a range of protective practices and equipment to protect employee safety and these measures may vary slightly from plant to plant, but may include the reduction of throughput rates at the plant, temperature checks on entry into the plant, the extension of operating hours and other safeguards such as “podding”, the provision of additional PPE, the use of Perspex screens and the provision of additional facilities to support physical distancing measures.

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